VN to build more than 4,000 small bridges

Update:
December, 28/2015 - 15:53

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A suspension bridge in Loc Nga Commune, in the north-eastern Quang Ninh Province's Bao Loc District was replaced with a safer bridge last year. Viet Nam has built more small bridges in remote mountainous areas to improve road safety. – VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Dung

HA NOI (VNS) — The Directorate for Roads has said more than VND9.2 trillion (US$408.9 million) would be needed to build small bridges and maintain roads in Viet Nam in the 2016-21 period.

General Director of the Directorate of Roads Nguyen Van Huyen said of the total amount, about US$385 million would be a loan from the World Bank, $13.2 million would come from the central government's budget and the remaining $10.7 million from local budgets.

He said the World Bank loan would be used to build nearly 2,200 small bridges in remote mountainous communes, particular where ethnic groups live, in 50 provinces across the country.

Meanwhile, the funds from the Vietnamese government would be spent on improving and maintaining roads in 14 provinces that have high poverty levels in the north and coastal central regions.

Huyen said localities that have committed to participate in the project would cover land clearance costs and remove bombs or explosive objects to permit the construction of bridges.

The general director said Viet Nam planned to build 4,145 small bridges to ensure road safety in remote mountainous or disadvantaged communes across the country by 2020.

During the first phase of the project, 186 suspension bridges were built last year to meet the urgent requirements of local residents in 28 mountainous provinces in the north, central and Central Highland regions.

During the second phase of the project, 295 suspension bridges and 3,664 cement bridges are expectedly to be built by 2021. However, the transport ministry has not called for enough funding. — VNS